Skift Take
Whether it's Westgate or a more reputable company like Wyndham, the reality of a timeshare rarely matches the promise of a high-pressure sales pitch -- no matter which end of that pitch you're on.
Sales agents who were cheated out of their commissions by a marketing group owned by self-professed timeshare king David Siegel told a judge Monday that they are tired of fighting for their pay and would like to approve a proposed settlement agreement that would give many of them less than half of what they are owed.
CFI Sales & Marketing Ltd. -- the company that markets timeshare sales for Siegel's Orlando, Fla.-based Westgate Resorts, including one along the oceanfront in Myrtle Beach -- has offered to split a $500,000 payment among about 365 sales agents who filed a class-action lawsuit against the company nearly six years ago. That settlement agreement was filed late last week and presented on Monday to Judge Michael Baxley. A trial in the case had been scheduled to start Monday.
During a court hearing, Baxley said he will review the proposed settlement and schedule a hearing "as quickly as possible" to determine whether it will be approved.
Many of the sales agents who attended Monday's hearing urged Baxley to approve the agreement, saying they need their money and are weary from the drawn-out court battle.
"It's shameful what they've done, but I have renal disease and might no
